The terrorist attacks in Nice and Berlin, when a truck was hijacked to kill innocent people, shook the transport industry. An Irish group of researchers decided to remedy this. They are creating a system that could prevent the use of trucks as tools in terrorist attacks. As promised by the creators – the navigational security system they propose will be very difficult to get around.
TransSec will be a truck navigation system that aims to prevent the use of vehicles in terrorist attacks. The new technology is designed to alert the authorities when the truck is abducted. Scientists from Telecommunications, Software & Systems Group (TSSG) working at the Irish University of Waterford Institute of Technology are working on the new solution.
Navigation at the core of system’s functionality
TransSec system will be responsible for the precise positioning of the car on the road and during a stopover. Navigation will enable preliminary threat detection. The system will also monitor the route of the truck.
TransSec will operate using Galileo, i.e. a global navigation satellite system created by the European Union. Information downloaded from Galileo will be combined with hard data about the vehicle, i.e. speed or location. In this way, the system will allow checking if the truck is being driven properly.
TransSec will also determine the probability of an accident based on data collected from navigation. In case of danger, sending an alarm signal will enable the integration of navigation with the pan-European rapid alert system – eCall.
Effects in three years
The TransSec project started in February 2018 and will last 3 years. The progress will be communicated every 12 months. Initially, researchers are also talking about cooperation with Daimler. Scientists are joining forces to develop a new type of truck that will be equipped with an „indestructible” security system.
Photo: Trans.INFO